A Token Change for Monopoly

Throughout its 80 years of existence, the iconic board game “Monopoly” has undergone occasional changes. Some were subtle, dealing with board colors and cards. While others involved special editions of the game. But, now the makers of the game are planning to retire one of its long-time game pieces in favor of a new token. And, like most fans of the game, players at the West Shore Senior Center in New Cumberland have their favorites.

Gene Shade loves the Howitzer piece. “I'm the cannon, ” he said. “Was that your first choice?,” I asked. “Yes,” he proclaimed with a grin, “because its bigger.”

Guy Armillotto went for the race car. “I always like race cars, ” he said. ” And I watch racing quite often. So that's the one I picked today.”

Life-long Monopoly fan Art Chenoweth chose the Scottie dog. “We'd listen to the radio. Amos and Andy and all those guys. And play monopoly,” he said. “I Always liked the dog because I like dogs.”

On the chopping block is one of the following classic pieces: the Scottie dog, battleship, top hat, race car, wheelbarrow, iron, thimble or shoe.

Ruth Zimmerman remembers wooden tokens with her first monopoly game, but she went with pewter for today's game. “I like westerns,” she said. “That's why I picked the man on the horse.”

Choices for the new game piece include a diamond ring, robot, cat, guitar or helicopter.

Although she would be happy if the game pieces stayed as is, Zimmerman did have a preference among the new choices. “I'll go with the cat because I had kittens. I had a cat,” she said.

Shirley Basom also favors the feline choice, while her husband Richard would prefer the helicopter piece.

“I was in the 28th Aviation Battalion a long time ago,” explaining his choice, ” and they had helicopters.”

These seniors admit that while they might favor one of the possible new monopoly pieces over another, it's not likely you'll find them logging in to Facebook or Twitter to cast an official vote.